At the age of twenty-one, Keith built his first house in the woods of Maine. He was then trained in wooden boat building in Kennebunkport, ME. In 1995, the family moved from ME to AZ so Keith could manage the restoration of the La Posada hotel in Winslow, AZ.

La Posada was built in 1930 by Fred Harvey and designed by architect Mary Jane Colter. Considering old photographs of Spanish Colonial furniture and Colter’s architectural and interior designs, Keith began restoring furniture and millwork that had been removed from La Posada when it closed in 1950.

Keith Mion with Raven Bed

Ponderosa pine is the staple of Keith’s wood work. The lumber is bought locally at Santa Fe Lumber mill. All the trees come from the forests around Prescott and Flagstaff and are either blown down or beetle kill wood. Harvesting trees that are already dead give the lumber color and make the furniture environmentally friendly. Each board is selected by hand, looking for color and shapes. The lumber is rough sawn and then hand planed and chiseled. Routers and sanders are rarely used in the process. Keith’s current work continues to be inspired by traditional designs, but over time, designs have become modern interpretations of the Southwest and all of its dynamic beauty.